[lowmagnet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kool bubba ice /img/forum/go_quote.gif I feel you..I'm just never satisfied..I have yet to reach the point where my ears tell me, ok, this is when I stop..Ofcourse, I'm not made out of money either.. The search is on a budget.. I'd like to get as close as possible..

I really think that if you paired the DAC1 with something fuzzy it would make things better, but I don't know if I'd enjoy it. I'd just hate to see your costs sunk into something that you may hate...

 

[kool bubba ice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowmagnet /img/forum/go_quote.gif I really think that if you paired the DAC1 with something fuzzy it would make things better, but I don't know if I'd enjoy it. I'd just hate to see your costs sunk into something that you may hate...

I agree.. At this point I'm just thinking about the mod.. It interests me.. Listening to it live might swing me in either direction.. Although, I don't like the idea of turning my DAC1 into a NOS dac.. I use my DAC1 for DVDS & gaming half the time..

 

[OneStepCloser]

I am planning on purchasing the USB Dac1 to pair with my Grado 325i's. Elias pointed out that for this benchmark the headphone output is supposed to be significantly better than previous versions of the Dac1. My questions is, would having a seperate headphone amp provide any benefit over just using the Dac1 headphone output/amp?

 

[newguru]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneStepCloser /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am planning on purchasing the USB Dac1 to pair with my Grado 325i's. Elias pointed out that for this benchmark the headphone output is supposed to be significantly better than previous versions of the Dac1. My questions is, would having a seperate headphone amp provide any benefit over just using the Dac1 headphone output/amp?

I have never used the DAC1 but just thinking out loud, if you wanted a tube sound to your amp, then the DAC1 wouldn't do it for you. I know alot of people here use the DAC1 and then output to their favorite tube amps.

 

[OneStepCloser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by newguru /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have never used the DAC1 but just thinking out loud, if you wanted a tube sound to your amp, then the DAC1 wouldn't do it for you. I know alot of people here use the DAC1 and then output to their favorite tube amps.

How about a Gilmore Lite? I have heard that they Gilmore Lite sounds really nice with the Grado line of headphones but I wonder if it would be noticable when compared to the Dac1 headphone out.

 

[The Monkey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneStepCloser /img/forum/go_quote.gif How about a Gilmore Lite? I have heard that they Gilmore Lite sounds really nice with the Grado line of headphones but I wonder if it would be noticable when compared to the Dac1 headphone out.

I'd go warmer than the G-lite for that combo. Plus, having heard both, I don't think the G-lite is a huge step up from the Benchmark HP out. I think the tube amp recommendation is a good one. I'm enjoying the combo of the DAC1 and the HeadRoom MH hybrid.

 

[Davesrose]

I have a SR325i. When I first got it, I wrote an impression of it compared to Senns.....just using the DAC1's hp out (the non USB version). IMO, the DAC1's amp is a good neutral "monitor" type output. Perfect for when you just want to analyze the tonality of a headphone. I'll second recommendations on a tube amp for the 325i. It seems a bit thin to me on a neutral SS amp IMO. The more tubes you give it, the more it gets bass and soundstage.

 

[audioengr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by newguru /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have never used the DAC1 but just thinking out loud, if you wanted a tube sound to your amp, then the DAC1 wouldn't do it for you. I know alot of people here use the DAC1 and then output to their favorite tube amps.

I'll be demonstrating a new mod for the DAC-1 headphone amp and comparing this to a modded Antique Audio Labs tube headphone amp at Head-Fest in April. They are closer than you imagine.....

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

 

[OneStepCloser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monkey /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'd go warmer than the G-lite for that combo. Plus, having heard both, I don't think the G-lite is a huge step up from the Benchmark HP out. I think the tube amp recommendation is a good one. I'm enjoying the combo of the DAC1 and the HeadRoom MH hybrid.

Thanks for the input, the HeadRoom MH Hybrid is something I will consider buying later this year. I already have a Gilmore light but I had the feeling that I may not need to use it once the Dac1 arrives.

 

[charlie1]

Well now after following this thread for a while now, I just had to order one! What do some of you think on a scale of 1 to 10 will be the differance between my MICRO AMP and DAC with DESKTOP MODULE and the DAC1 USB. Lets say the MICRO is a 3. And do you think I should get a new amp to go along with it or will I be happy with it the way it is alone for now. It will be used with my RS-1s for now.

 

[lowmagnet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlie1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well now after following this thread for a while now, I just had to order one! What do some of you think on a scale of 1 to 10 will be the differance between my MICRO AMP and DAC with DESKTOP MODULE and the DAC1 USB. Lets say the MICRO is a 3. And do you think I should get a new amp to go along with it or will I be happy with it the way it is alone for now. It will be used with my RS-1s for now.

Aren't you supposed to ask these questions before making a purchase?

I <3 my DAC1 with SR-225 so I'm sure the RS-1 will work out nicely.

I've got a pair of HD650 ordered so I can put to bed people's concerns of the DAC1 USB driving them. It's a safe bet since I've done my research and I know the DAC1 can drive them.

 

[charlie1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowmagnet /img/forum/go_quote.gif Aren't you supposed to ask these questions before making a purchase? I <3 my DAC1 with SR-225 so I'm sure the RS-1 will work out nicely. I've got a pair of HD650 ordered so I can put to bed people's concerns of the DAC1 USB driving them. It's a safe bet since I've done my research and I know the DAC1 can drive them.

Everyone has talked so highly about the DAC1,so with my AUDIO DISORDER I had to order one. I,m shure that I will like it for a while. BUY NOW -ASK QUESTIONS LATER.

 

[JimP]

x

 

[schaqfu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowmagnet /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've got a pair of HD650 ordered so I can put to bed people's concerns of the DAC1 USB driving them. It's a safe bet since I've done my research and I know the DAC1 can drive them.

Lowmagnet -- I will be very interested to hear your take on the HD 650s direct out of the DAC1 USB. I'm facing an imminent dilemma: I just ordered a HeadRoom Balanced Desktop with Home module/Home DAC and some balanced HD 650s, hoping that would be my big fat one-time, don't-bother-me-anymore, hifi purchase. The thing that's been bugging the hell out of me though is that they can't cram their Max DAC board in there, so I was having to make a tradeoff: giving up the AD1896 asynchronous chip (which my feeble mind hoped would reduce jitter) in favor of gaining a balanced headphone amp.

To my delight, the DAC1 USB looks to be everything I want in a DAC right here right now, including future ability to pair it with a balanced amplifier of my choice, perhaps such as the HeadRoom Desktop with Max module, which I think I will really like.

My big fat dilemma question for all you geniuses on this thread now is: can I run balanced HD 650s directly out of the DAC1 USB now in balanced mode, without purchasing a separate balanced amp? I can't afford both right now, but I really like the preserved upgrade path for the future if I can stick with just the DAC for now. What do you all think? And alternatively, if I can't drive a pair of balanced cans directly out of the DAC1 USB, will driving them unbalanced for the time being be as pleasing overall as the order I'm now thinking of canceling with HeadRoom? Many thanks for the advice!

(This thread has been deliciously entertaining -- god bless that masked Elias man, whoever he was!)

 

[schaqfu]

Ooh, one more question... did we ever get an answer on whether the DAC1 USB will definitely be able to work with Vista as it does with XP? And by that, I mean can I expect in six months to be able to plug 'n play via USB direct to the DAC1 from a Vista machine and get bit-transparent, jitter-proof play with no modded drivers or difficulty using normal players like Foobar and iTunes and Winamp? Thanks!